Trench-wall supporter



March 2 5 1926. v 1,575,555

S. B. GARDN ER THENCE WALL SUPPORTER Filed Feb: 5, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwuewkoz dime;

March 2 1926.

' s. B. GARDNER THENCH WALL SUPPOR'I'ER Filed Feb. 5, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 2, 1926. 4 1,575,555

5. B. GARDNER TRENCH WALL SUPPORTER Filed Feb 5, 1925 '7 Sheets5heet 4 Ir-inky 1; g II I March 2 1926.

I s. B. GARDNER I 1,575,566,

TRENCH WALL SUPPORTER Mafch 2 1926.

S. B. GARDNER TRENCH WALL SUPPORTEH Filed Feb. 5. 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 2,1926. 1,575,566

- 5. B. GARDNER TRENCH WALL -SUPPORTER Filed Feb. 5,, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Mar. 2, 1926..

UNIT an sYmvEy" BURT GARDNER, or. BENSON} MINNESOTA.

TRENGH-WCALL SUPPORTER.

Application filed? February 5, 1925;. Serial m). @121;

To all whom z't'mag f concern:

Be it lmown= that I, SYDNEY BURT G ann- NER, a citizen of the" United States oii America, residing; atBenson, in the county of? Swift. and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful-T Improvements in Trenoh-lVall. Supporters, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to: trench wallsupporting machines of the a general type; shown iirmy prior Patent No. 1,391,624, granted September 20, 1921, entitled Trench-wall supporting machine, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction of the apparatus shown and described in the said patent- {The said. prior machine; comprisesa. pair of laterally expansible sections which are.

adapted to support sheet piling'against the walls of atrench, the said sections being movable relative to one another in both vertical and horizontal directions whereby the machine may be advanced. as the. work progresses; so thatthe piling; at. the rear? of the machine. may be removed and; placed in front thereof. Manually operated means are provided for producing the relative 'movements of the two.- sections in the vertical and horizontal directions and also for producing the lateral expansion of the sec tions, to cause them to engage the piling at the sides of the trench.

The present invention, on the other hand aims to produce anapparatus of thecharacter described in which the lateral expansion, as well as the relative horizontal and vertical movements of the sections are accomplished through the medium of power devices,.in the present instance shown as comprising flui'dpressure' cylinders suitably disposed and connected to thevarious parts to produce the desired movements. Y

A. further object of the invention to providean apparatusof the class described having a plurality of transverse expansion cylinders with pistons therein, and a cylin der having, a piston for producing the horr zontal longitudinal movements; of the sections, the movements of'all of which pistons are controlled by asingle valve.

A still further object of theinvention is to provide a simple and effective: means for controlling: the pistonsgwhich accomplish the vertical. movements of the. sections.

' A still further object of theinventiomisto produce a? device of the class described which will be simple in; constr'uctiom comparatively inexpensive to-manufactureand more efiis cient. in: use'than those heretofore proposed.

With. the above and other objects inview, which will appear as the description: proceeds,- the invention consists in the novel details of constructiom andcombi'nations and. arrangements of? parts more; fully here'- inafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

Referring to the accompanyingdrawings,

forming a part of thisspecification, inwhich like reference characters designate likeparts in all the views;

Figure 1 is a side elevational viewiofa trench. wall supporting; machine constructed in accordance with the present invcntion the nearest pile supporting railsibeing omit.- ted; H Y

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional: elevational view of a; portion ofione ofthe-secs tions. showing.- one otthe transverse expan 'sion cylinders and. its associated partsty Figure 3 is a horizontal seetionalw vie'w, partlyin elevation, of the parts: shown in F 1g... 2, taken approximately on the plane indicated by thev line-'33. 0fthe said figure, looking down.

I Figure 4 is. an endv elevational view of the;

parts. shown in Figure. 8; with. one of. the pile supporting rails omitted. e a

Figure 5 is an elevational View partlyin section of onset the verticalor. raising, cyl-e inderst and its associated parts- Figure 6 is a sectional viewon, an: en-

larged' scale of a portion-oi the partsshown in Figure 5-taken approximately 011 the line 6'6 oi the said figure, looking: down.

Figure 7-.is a detail cross. sectional View taken approximately on the plane indicated by the-line Z-7-. of; Fig. 6",.looking in. the direction of the arrows:

Figure. Si isa vertical sectional. View through the cylinder shown. in Figure 5 taken: at right. angles tosaid: figure:

Figure 9 is an enlarged deta1l.v1ew of. a

portion of the locking parts shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the locking elements shown in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 11 is a top plan view partly in section, of the cylinderfor producing relative longitudinal movements of the sections. Figure 12 is a-transverse sectional view taken approximately on the plane indicated by the hire 12-12 of Fig. 11. v c Figure 13 is a side elevational view of one end of one of the pile supporting-rails.

Figure 14 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Figure 13. 7 H

vFigure 15 isan enlarged cross sectional view taken approximately on the plane indicatedby the line l515 of Fig. 13.

Figurel6 isan end elevational-view of.

th'e valve for controlling the lateral expansion cylinders.

Figure 17 is a top plan view of the same. Figure 18 is a longitudinal sectional view of the-said valve. I

Figure 19 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the said valve takenapproximately on'the plane indicated by the line 1919 7 of Figure 18.

Figure 20 is a similar view taken on the line 2020 of Figure 18. 1

Figure 21 is adiagrammatic development of the valve'casing. 1

Figure 22 is a similarview of the valve plug. g a

Figures 23fand 24 are detail cross sectional views of'a four-wayvalve employed for controlling the vertical or liftingcylinders and Figure 25' is a'longitudinal sectional view of this last mentioned valve.

'A's in the construction shown in the said the horizontal rail members a and I). These said sections, while interconnected, are so constructed as to be movable relativeto one another whereby they may be advanced in ahorlzontal direction, step by step, and also 1f necessary, in avertical dlrection. As was the case in the said prior patent, the horimachine and advanced to is provided with a plurality of horizontally disposed cylinders 30 suitably supported upon the upright-members A, each of which carries a pair of pistons 31 and 32 (see Figure 3) respectively, provided with piston'rods 33 and 34, which are connected at their outer ends by suitable non-rigid connections 35 to the horizontal side rails a.

from a supply pipe 37 into the said cyl- 4 inders between the adjacent face of the pistons 31 and 32 as will be readily understood from Figure 3. It thus results that when air or other fluid pressure is so admitted between the pistons 31 and 32, that the said 7 pistons will be forced in opposite directions and will through their piston rods 33 and 34 and the connections 35, force the horizontal rails, such as a, outwardly in a horizontal lateral direction, whereby they may be caused to engage sheet piling which has been positioned within the trench adjacent .thewalls thereof. The saidrails may be moved* at the opposite direction upon the release of-fluid pressure in the cylinders 30 by 'suitableflsprings 38 (see Fig. 2) or in any'other suitable manner. Q j V In orderthat the rails such as a may be positively maintainedin their outward po sitions,againstthe possibility of a' failure to constantly maintain fluid pressure within the cylinders-,I have provided an automatic locking mechanism which 'will securely retain the pistons and rails in their outward positions, aftertheyliave been forced to such positions by the fluid pressure. Oneform of such locking mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein the piston rods, such as 34 are illustrated as being provided with a plu- .rality of teeth or serrations 40'which are ada ted to be eiwa 'ed b com anion teeth or serrations 41, provided on the end of a recip rocable dog or slide member 42,,which is slidablyrnounted in an extension 43 of the cylinder head 44. The outer end of the said dog 42-is provided with a'notch or recess 45 which receives the end 46 of a lever 47 pivoted as at48 in ears 49 with which'the cylinder head is provided. The other end 50 of the said lever 47 projects through a slot 51 provided in a cylinder. or housing 52, which is mounted on the main cylinder 30 and the said lever end engages in a notch 53 formed in a locking piston 54 which'is mounted iii-the said locking cylinder 52.

Fluid pressure may be supplied to said cyl inder 52 upon the piston 54, through a pipe 55, and a coiled spring 56 is interposed between the bottom of the piston 54 and the wall of the cylinder 30 to normally urge the locking piston 54 upwardly to locking position. I

It will be clear from the construction just described that when fluid pressure is admitted into the cylinder 52 from the pipe or conduit 55, that it will force the piston 54: downwardly against the pressure of the spring 56 and in sodoing, it will produce a rocking movement of the levers 47 about their pivots 48, whereby the ends 46 of the said levers will be caused to slide'the dogs 42 outwardly to disengage their ratchet teeth or serrations ll from the companion teeth of the pinion rods 33 and 34. hen this movement has been accomplished, the piston rods may be freely moved in either direction to collapse the horizontal rails or to release the piling with which the said rails have been in contact. I

The transverse expansioncylinders have been described in detail in connection with the section A, but, it will be understood that the section B is likewise provided with simisuitable ports 61 and 62 through which fluid pressure may be admitted to and exhaust from the interior of the said cylinders to produce movements of the piston 63 mounted therein. The said pistons are provided with piston rods 64 which extend downwardly and carry at theirlower ends sleeves 65 which are provided with serra-' tions or teeth 66 for engagement with dogs 7 5, whereby the parts may be locked in desired vertical adjustment as will presently appear. The said piston rods 64: also pass through a cross head member 67, which is provided with a transverse shaft 68 which carries at its outer ends, the rollers 69 running in the channel members 70 which are rigidly connected to the section A by plates It will benoted that the sleeve member 65 is provided-with two sets of serrations or teeth 66 which are inclined in opposite di rections, (see Figure 10). Eachof these sets of teeth is engaged by a horizontal sliding dog which dogs are connected as at 76 to piston rods 77 which carry pistons? 8 mounted in the small horizontal cylinders 79 (see Figures 6 and 9). Fluid pressure may be introduced into the said-cylinders 7 9 from pipes 80,- through ducts or passages 81 as will be clear from the drawings. It is thus obvious that by controllingthe admis sion of the fluid pressure to these cylinders 79, that one or the other of the dogs 75 may.

be engaged anddisengaged from its respective teeth 66 to permit the raising or lowering of the piston rod6t and its piston 63 within the cylinder 60 in response to the admission of fluid pressure therein.

In order to accomplish the longitudinal end of this cylinder from suitable pipes or other connections (not shown), through the ports 89 and 90. It will be understood that in accomplishing these relative movements of the sections when section A is free i. e., itsrails are drawn in, the vertical members A thereof which are rigid with the 'channels 70 are supported by the rollers 69 and when the section is advanced the channels move on the rollers; whereas when section B is free and. is advanced the rollers travel in the. channels.

As above stated, it is an important feature of the present invention. to provide a single valve means for controlling all of the several transverse expansion cylinders upon both sections A and B and also for controlling the operation of the pistonv 86 in the horizontal longitudinal moving cylinder andone form of such valve is illustrated in detail in Figures 16 to 22 inclusive. As will be clear from the. said figures, this valve comprises a casing or housing which is pref erably tapered substantially as shown and provided at the larger end with a hollow cap member 96 through which passes a valve spindle 97 carrying the-handwheel 98 by means of which the valve may be manipulated. The casing. 95 is suitably supported upon the uprightframe members A of section A by means of a bracket 99 and a fluid pressure supply pipe 100 leads into a hollow cap 96substantially as shown. I

The valve casing orhousing 95 is provided with a plurality of arcuately spaced hollow ribs 101, disposed around its circumference,

these ribs being here shown as six in number and providing longitudinally extending passages '102,.103, 104i, 105, 106, and 107. The inner wall 108 of the valve casing is provided with a plurality of ports 109 affording communication between these various passages and the interior of the said casing and there is rotatably mounted within lit) mission chamber while the latter consti tutes an exhaust chamber.

The ports 109 and 111 ofthe valve mem-' bers are of such dimensions and'so posi tioned that the cycle of valve operation is as follows:

1. Fluid pressure is admitted to all six cylinders 30 on section A to expand the rails a1 transversely.

2; Fluid pressure is admitted to all six safety cylinders 52 on cylinders 57 of section B to release the locks ofthesecylinders.

' 3. Fluid pressure is admitted to ,one end of longitudinal cylinder 85 to move section ll forward.

l. Fluid pressure is admitted to all six cylinders 5'? on section B to expand the rails b. v

5. Fluid pressure is admitted to the six satiety cylinders 52 on cylindersSO to release the locks thereof.

6. Fluid pressure is admitted to the other end of the longitudinal cylinder 85 to move section A longitudinally.

Each movement of the valve is through an arc of 60 and onecoinplete turn the hand wheel 98 makes a complete move ol the machine.

In order to contr l the vertical movements or the sections through the lifting'oyli'nders 60 and their associated pistons, it is preferred to provide two founway valves, one of which is shown in detail in Figures 23, 2-1: and These valves of course may be of any suitable construction, but are here shown as comprising a casing or housing 115, which is preferably conical in section and which is provided with a plurality of ports116, 11?, 118, and 119.

A conical valve plug 120, is seated in the said housing vtor rotation therein by means of a suitable handle 121 and is retained in position by means of a suitable locking nut 122 as will be clear from Figure 25. The said plug is provided with suitable'passageways 123, 12 1-, and 126 whereby fluid pressure may be led to either end of the cylinders S at will, in order to accomplish the raising-and lowering movementsot' the respective frames A and B.

It will be noted that in the present inthe trench walls for a considerable distance behind the machine. It thus results that the operator who is laying the pipe in the trench is afiforded additional room in which to work, since in the present instance he is working behind the machine instead of between the sections as was the case in the previous apparatus.

The said rails'A and B may be of any suitable construction, but are here shown as comprising spaced longitudinal-metallic strips 130 which are secured together as by rivets or bolts 131 which pass through suitable spacing collars 132. The extreme ends of the rails are spaced by collars of decreasing lengths as willbe readily understoodirom Figure 14:, so that the said rails finally meet as at 133.

It will thus be seen that this invention provides a trench wall supporting machine of the same general character as that described and claimed in my prior patent which may be power actuated to automatically advance as the trench progresses and which may also be caused to move upwardly and downwardly to accommodate any different depths of trench. It will also be seen that the means for expanding the rails laterally as well as the means for moving the sections longitudinally are so' inter-related as to be controlled by a single fluid pressure valve and that a complete step ormovement offthe device may be accomplished by a single revolution of the valve plug. Also that the vertical power -means are vertically controlled throughthe medium of a pair 1. In a trench wall supporting machine,

apair of relatively movable sections; power means for moving said sections longitudi-' nally relative to one another; power means tor expanding said sections laterally toward the trench walls; and a single means for controlling both of said power means.

2. In atrench wall supporting machine, a pair of relatively movable sections; power means for alternately moving said sections longitudinally relative to one another; power means for alternately expanding said sections toward the trench walls; and a sin e means for controlling successively the actuation of said power means.

3. In a trench wall supporting machine, a pair of relatively movable sections; fluid pressure means for alternately moving said.

sections longitudinally; additional fluid pressure means for expanding said sections laterally; and a single valve for controlling both of said fluid pressure means.

4. In a trench wall supporting machine, a pair of-relatively movable sections; fluid pressure means for alternately moving said sections longitudinally; additional fluid pressure means for expanding said sections laterally; a single valve for controlling both of said fluid pressure means; independent fluid pressure means for moving said sections vertically relative to one another; and an additional valve for controlling said last named fluid pressure means.

In a trench wall supporting machine, a pair of relatively movable sections; power means for expandingsaid sections laterally; and means for positively locking said sections against lateral movement.

6. In a trench wall supporting machine, a pair of relatively movable sections; means for expanding said sections laterally; means for locking said sections; and means operable in one direction by fluid pressure for unlocking said sections from expanded condition. v

7 In a trench wall supporting machine, a pair of relatively movable sections; fluid pressure means for expanding said sections laterally; means for locking. said sections; fluid pressure releasable means for unlocking said sections; and a single valve for controlling both of said fluid pressure means.

8. In a trench wall supporting machine, a pair of relatively movable sections; fluid pressure means for expanding said sections laterally; means for locking said sections;

fluid pressure releasable means for unlock-r ing said sections; additional fluid pressure means for moving said sections longitudinally relative to one another; and a slngle valve for controlling all of said fluid pressure means. i

9. In atrench wall supporting machine, a pair of relatively movable sections; fluid pressure means for expanding said sections laterally; means for locking said sections; fluid pressure releasable means for unlocking said sections; additional fluid pressure means for moving said sections longitudinal ly relative to one another; a single valve for controlling all of said fluid pressure means; the other fluid pressure means for moving said sections vertically relative to one another; and a separate valve for controlling said last named means.

10. In a trench wall supporting machine, a pair of relatively movableseetions, each comprising a frame, transversely disposed cylinders carried by said frames; pistons provided with piston rods, mounted in said cylinders; longitudinally extending rails carried by said piston rods; and means for applying fluid pressure to said cylinders.

11. In a trench wall supporting machine,

cylinders carried by said frames; a pair of pistons mounted in ieaclrcylinder,adapted to move in opposite directions, under 'fluid' pressure; piston rods carried by pistons; longitudinally extending rails carried by said rods; and means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders.

12. In a trench wall supporting machine, a frame; a transversely disposed cylinder carried by said frame; a piston in said cylinder; a piston rod rigid with said piston; means for engaging said piston rod to prevent movement thereof in one direction; and means for moving said last named means into and out of engagement with said piston rod. I

13. In a trench wall supporting machine, a frame; a transversely disposed cylinder carried by said frame; a piston in said cylinder; a piston rod rigid with said piston; means slidable transversely of the axis of said rod for engaging the same to prevent movement thereof in one direction; means for sliding said last named means into and out of engagement with said rod, and a pile engaging rail carried by said rod.

14:. In a trench wall supporting machine, a frame; a transversely disposed cylinder carried by said frame; a piston in said cylinder; a piston rod rigid with said piston, provided with a series of teeth; a member slidable transversely of the axis of said piston rod, adapted to engage said teeth to prevent movement of said rod; means for sliding said member into and out of engagement with said teeth; and a pile engaging rail carried by said piston rod. 7

15. In a trench wall supporting machine, a frame; a transversely disposed cylinder carried by said frame; a piston in said cylinder; a piston rod rigid with said piston, provided with a series of teeth; a member slidabletransversely of the axis of said piston rod, adapted to engage said teeth to prevent movement of said rod, means operable in one direction by fluid pressure for sliding said member out of engagement with said teeth; and a pile engaging rail carried by said piston rod.

16. In a trench wall supporting machine, a frame; a transversely disposed cylinder carried by said frame; a piston in said cylinder; a piston rod rigid with said piston, provided with a series of teeth; a member slidabletransversely of the axis of said piston rod, adapted to engage said teeth to prevent movement of said rod; an auxiliary cylinder; apiston in said auxiliary cylinder; connections between said last named piston and said slidable member for moving the latter; and a pile engaging rail carried by said piston rod.

17. In a trench wall supporting machine,

a frame; a transversely disposedcylinder carried by said'frame; a piston in said cy1- inder; a piston rod rigid with said. pistons, provided with a series of ratchet teeth; a slidable dog adapted to engage said teeth to prevent movement ofsziid rod in one direct-ion; an auxiliary cylinder; a piston in said auxiliary cylinder, movable in one direction by fluid pressure, a spring for moving said last named piston in the other direction; a rock lever connecting said last namedpiston and dog; and a pile engaging rail carriedbysaid piston rod.

SYDNEY BURT GARDNER. 

